Leg traction shoe or boot



J. I. BURNSIDE 2,760,487

LEG TRACTION SHOE 0R BOOT Filed March 26, I954 IN V EN TOR. JOHN BURNS/DE ATTORNEY United States Patent LEG TRACTION SHOE OR BOOT John I. Burnside, Columbus, Ohio Application March 26, 1954, Serial No. 418,956

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-84) This invention relates to improvements in traction appliances such as are used in effecting traction on human limbs, as in the instance of fractures or joint treatment.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a boot which can be readily applied to the foot of a limb to be stretched and to which traction means can be applied and removed as the occasion demands, thus permitting a person, who has the liberty to move about, to release himself from the traction means promptly and just as expeditiously reapply the traction means when he returns to bed. This will be appreciated by those who are under treatment for joint conditions and who need not maintain the traction means in constant use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a boot for traction means, which will eliminate the use of tape and other discomforting means on the legs and feet of a patient in order to hold the traction means properly attached.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a boot of the character stated which is of inexpensive construction and capable of being easily applied and adjusted to a persons foot, without having to be of a precise size.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the boot.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view through the sole, taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral generally refers to a shoe or boot, this structure being of canvas, leather, or any other suitable material and having a sole 11 which is of the usual conventional shape, but projects through the forward portion of the boot, the boot being open at its forward end, as is apparent in Figure l. The boot is open longitudinally along its front portion and has eyelets 12 through which lace 13 is disposed, in order that this boot may be tightened the necessary amount around a patients foot.

It will be understood that the boot can be for right feet or left feet.

The side walls and rear wall of the body of the boot are brought down and nailed or otherwise secured as at 14 to the under edge portion of the sole 11 (see Figure 2).

' 2,760,487 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 The sole 11 may be of leather, metal or any other desired and appropriate material and has a plurality of transversely disposed semi-circular recesses 15 formed in the bottom side thereof. These recesses 15 are equally spaced apart longitudinally of the sole 11 and are intersected by longitudinal groove 16 in which is disposed an elongated rod 17. This rod is secured positively to the sole by a plurality of staples or the like 18. Thus the rod 17 is held with no portion depending below the sole of the boot and this permits the flat contact with any surface.

The disposition of the rod 17 with respect to the recesses 15 allows a space around the rod, at each recess, as shown in Figure 4.

This permits the hook of a traction means (not shown) to be disposed in any one of the recesses 15 to hook around the rod 17 and exert the desired amount of traction at the appropriate angle with respect to the leg. In other words more traction may be desired on the ball portion of the foot and on the heel portion and this is accomplished simply by engaging the rod 17 with the traction means hook at one of the front recesses 15.

Obviously the patient can unhook the traction means (not shown) at any time he desires, especially when he wishes to eat or bathe. A loop 20 can be provided for upper leg or pelvic traction.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new 1. A device for use in conjunction with traction means comprising a boot provided with a sole, said sole being provided with means with which conventional traction means can be engaged, said means on the sole consisting of an elongated rod, said sole being provided with recesses, said rod bridging the recesses, said recesses serving as receptors for traction means hooks when engaged around said rod, said recesses being spaced longitudinally along the bottom of said sole.

2. A device for use in conjunction with leg traction means comprising a boot provided with a sole, said sole being formed with a longitudinal groove therein, said sole being further formed with short transverse recesses intersecting the groove and being deeper than the groove, an elongated rod disposed in the elongated groove and being secured to the sole, said rod passing over the recesses, said recesses serving as clearances for the hook portions of traction means disposed over said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES U. S. Naval Medical Bulletin for September 1943, pp. 1428-1432. Copy in Division 55. 

